The present invention relates to ceiling panels and apparatus for assembly of panels into an integral unit. The present invention has particular applicability to radiant ceiling panels.
Radiant ceiling panels today generally comprise a group of aluminum panels each having a copper tube therein carrying a heat exchange fluid such as water which is heated or cooled with respect to the temperature of the room in which the radiant ceiling panel is installed.
In the past, radiant ceiling panels have been assembled away from the installation site and then transported in assemblies which were mounted at the site. Several disadvantages resulted from this procedure. First, it was extremely difficult, if not impossible, to make adjustments in the ceiling panels at the job site. Second, the large assembled ceiling panels are especially susceptible to damage during transportation.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a radiant ceiling panel and assembly device which allows radiant ceiling panels to be transported to the job site and assembled there.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a radiant ceiling panel and assembly device which facilitates modifications of the panels at the job site.
Another problem of prior art radiant ceiling panels is not due to the location of assembly but rather to the inherent structure of the panel. The problem is that radiant ceiling panels are generally made of aluminum and occasionally are discernably bowed. This is commercially disadvantageous because from an aesthetic point of view, radiant ceiling panels should be flat.
Therefore, another object of the present invention is to provide a device which can be used to counteract the bowing of radiant ceiling panels.